General Practitioner

Are you looking for a general practice career in New Zealand?

We seek an enthusiastic doctor for our Southland, NZ community medical centre.

We are looking for an enthusiastic doctor to join our practice, ideally on a long term basis. Could this be you?

We want a hard working GP who is prepared to provide the best quality service to our patients. In return, we can offer you and your family a true Kiwi lifestyle with great pay!

First, a bit about us. Our purpose-built, modern facility is located in Invercargill New Zealand.

Our consulting rooms are bright and airy

We utilise MedTech32 as our internal computer system and full training in this can be provided if needed.

Our doctors and staff are all part time. As a practice we strive to do the best job we can, effectively delivering quality care to our enrolled population.

Our practice has been one of the higher achievers in the Invercargill area with excellent vaccination and cervical smear rates as well as meeting  Ministry of Health targets.

Afterhours is covered by the Invercargill Urgent Doctor Service, a GP cooperative.

New Zealand has a primary care health system that is internationally regarded as delivering quality care and outcomes at relatively low cost. Care is funded via a capitated amount for each enrolled patient, and co-payments with little involvement of insurance companies. Our system is not perfect but internationally compares well, delivering quality care outcomes.

So what can we offer you?

We envisage a negotiated pathway to shared ownership of the business in the medium term.

Income is performance based. The first years remuneration package will contain a negotiated guaranteed minimum.

Our practice philosophy is to encourage a healthy balance between work and life. We enjoy a balanced productive lifestyle and generous leave provisions of a minimum of 6 weeks per year.

Our location is close to some of New Zealand’s most incredible scenery, wildlife, and adventure activities. We offer more than just a job- we offer a lifestyle.

For academic development the University of Otago Medical School is a scenic 2.5 hours drive away in Dunedin. They have a Department of General Practice and students may have attachments in Invercargill in 4th, 5th and 6th years of their degrees. The Dept. has an outreach service here in Invercargill and offers a variety of Post Graduate papers.  There is an active local continuing medical education program locally as well as educational activities at the local hospital.

Past locums have found our workplace to be positive and pleasant

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Our location- Invercargill, New Zealand

Invercargill is the southernmost provincial city in New Zealand. It’s a city of almost 50,000 people and a service centre hub for the surrounding hinterland. In recent years there has been a lot of new investment and building in the city with further developments planned.  The city has a strong positive vibe.

Southland is a large producer of dairy, sheep meats, wool, forestry, fishing and aluminium.

Our closest International airport is Queenstown 2 hours by road away.  Christchurch International airport is 1 hour by air.

Our community is safe. New Zealand has strict firearms laws and there are low rates of violent crime. Our murder rate is 0.9/100,000. Carjacking is unheard of. Gangs exist but are not visible. New Zealand is ranked 1st equal with Singapore and Denmark as one of the world’s least corrupt countries by Transparency International. With wide streets and a low population, traffic is light and driving across town is a 15 minute journey.

YouTube has an excellent video of Southland that features  John and Sue Vercoe  enjoying a local oyster (a world-famous delicacy from a local town, Bluff).

Recreationally we are blessed with many outdoor opportunities and activities.

Fiordland and Stewart Island are both large national parks that are on our doorstep, providing amazing potential for outdoor adventures.

Queenstown  is the Southern Hemisphere’s premier four season lake and alpine resort, stunning scenery, huge range of activities and renowned warm welcome. Surrounded by majestic mountains and set on the shores of crystal clear Lake Wakatipu, the natural beauty and the unique energy of the region

3 hours away is Wanaka is located in the stunning alps of the South Island in New Zealand, visitors from around the world are drawn to the Wanaka region by its outstanding natural beauty. Wanaka’s lakes and mountains and proximity to Mt Aspiring National Park, makes it the ultimate base for outdoor activities. But it’s not just the outdoor enthusiasts who have plenty to do, stroll the streets and be inspired by galleries, stylish shops and be spoilt for choice with a great selection of cool cafes and restaurants.

There are excellent wineries in the Central Otago region as well as opportunity to do mountain biking, jet boating, gliding, kayaking helicopter rides – an adventurer’s paradise! Queenstown is the home of bungy jumping- if you dare!

Located deep in the heart of Central Otago in the valley of Upper Clutha, Cromwell is a special place.  Rugged mountains, the meeting of two rivers and the pristine waters of Lake Dunstan – the natural beauty of the area is overwhelming.

The Cromwell basin is home to a host of award-winning wineries; enjoy the scenery while enjoying some the worlds finest Central Otago Pinot Noir. The area also has a rich heritage with remnants of goldfields that will take you on a journey to the past.  Wander down to the historic Cromwell Heritage Precinct for a selection of boutique shops, art galleries and cosy cafes.

Lake Dunstan it is an idyllic location for swimming, fishing, boating and water sports in summer. In winter, there are five fantastic skifields all within comfortable driving distances. It is also home to the famous Highland’s Motorsport Park, a popular visitor attraction with activities for the whole family, not just petrol heads.

Nearby is the legendary Mataura River, one of the world’s best brown trout fisheries. There are several other excellent trout fisheries in the region. Along with the great sea fishing and diving.

The Catlins is a major highlight of the Southern Scenic Route. Situated off the beaten track, the Catlins encompasses the area between Kaka Point and Fortrose. You will journey through rural heartland and podocarp forests, past rugged coastlines, hidden lakes and stunning waterfalls. The natural landscapes are enthralling and the wildlife is extraordinary. It’s southern location bestows upon us long summer days perfect for exploring. Vivid sunsets and long twilight evenings lead on to ideal star-gazing opportunities. Rainy days bring fresh growth to pastures and forest, while strong winds shape the forests and raise impressive waves along the coast. Come prepared to enjoy dynamic weather conditions. The Catlins has many wonderful experiences to share.

Invercargill has great infrastructure facilities partly due to our licensing trust, the ILT.  Almost all alcohol sales in Invercargill are through a licensing trust owned business and  profits are returned to the community to provide infrastructural assets beyond what one would expect in a city of our size.

We have an Olympic swimming pool at Splash Palace.

And a velodrome at Stadium Southland

There are plenty of facilities for the sports enthusiast, not to mention the ease of biking, trail running, and tramping in our beautiful surroundings.

For art lovers, there are a range of opportunities in visual and performance arts.

Transport World is a wheeled collection that has taken nearly 50 years to amass. Starting out as one man’s passion and further developed by his family, it now includes two world class automotive museums which house hundreds of classic cars, vintage trucks and motorcycles

There are lots of good restaurants  in Invercargill providing a the range of food  choices one expects in modern small city.

Schooling & Education in Invercargill

Child care by competent carers is readily available and this is partially subsidised by the government.

Education facilities are generally excellent. A report by the International Educations consulting group Pearson international on a broad range of assessments scored the New Zealand education system 8th out of 40 nations surveyed. As well as catering for local pupils, some high schools have numbers of foreign students. James Hargest High School is a local coeducational secondary school that our children attended. In the 2012 Olympics, six ex pupils competed. James Hargest High School consistently achieves well in academic performance.

Southland Girls High School and Southland Boys High School also have excellent academic and sporting reputations. For an educational opportunity with a religious focus, Verdun College offers quality education from a Catholic perspective. Verdun College is also renowned for the depth and quality of their music dept. Southern Institute of Technology offers diploma and degree courses.  Some University papers are available locally.

 Invercargill climate

Invercargill has a temperate oceanic climate generally similar to that of the British Isles. There are on average 1580 sunshine hours a year whereas London has 1480 and Edinburgh 1420 hour. Rainfall averages 1112 mm annually, and there may be usually light snow falls in the winter. Invercargill receives less rain than either Auckland or Wellington.

Temperatures do occasionally exceed 29 °C in summer with a recorded extreme of 32.2 °C. Frosts occur several times most winters.  Owing to its latitude (46° 42′), Invercargill has nearly 16 hours of daylight in midsummer. Great for long summer evening activities as it is not dark until 10pm. In winter the daylight is about 9 hours long.

Aurora chasing is something that occurs from time time

Employment for spouses

Employment is likely to be available. The unemployment rate in Southland is low. Our hospital centered District Health Board has Health Down South, a promotional website focused on hospital jobs. See finding work in Southland.

Cost of Living

New Zealand in general and Invercargill, in particular, have affordable lifestyles. Our tax system is a mix of sales tax on goods and services (GST @ 15%) and incremental income taxation to a maximum of 30% on income. Dividends are not double taxed. Most people live close to work. Commutes are short, and parking is rarely a problem. Housing in Invercargill is very affordable by international comparisons. For a look at properties for sale and see what your money will buy see

For more general information about working in New Zealand, Working Visa’s etc see:

Working in New Zealand

Are you interested in becoming a GP in Invercargill, New Zealand? We would love to hear from you.

For more information please contact Steve Brown 0274 304602 from within New Zealand or from overseas +64 274 304602

Or email: docs at vercoebrown.co.nz

Some of the images on this pages are from Dr Kimball Chen, a colleague who is an accomplished photographer. His web site is Kea photography

Others are courtesy of  Daryll Winter photography.